SMILE FOR THE CAMERA

[INTRO – SOLO CELLO, DEEP BOWED NOTES, HAUNTING DISSONANCE] [VERY SLOW CELLO, SCRAPING STRINGS, DISTANT WIND] [WHISPERED MALE VOICE] They told me not to look... They told me not to stare... [CELLO RISES, ONE HIGH UNSETTLING NOTE] [CAMERA SHUTTER] [WHISPERED VOICE] But he's already there. [ONE DISTORTED DOG BARK] [ANTIQUE PIPE ORGAN ENTERS, CROOKED CIRCUS WALTZ BEGINS] [VERSE 1 – QUIET, PLAYFUL GOTHIC CABARET] A picture arrived in the dead of night, A dog in the dark with a grin too wide. No name on the letter, no note inside, Just two burning eyes and a smile that lied. I laughed at the picture, I tossed it away, But the grin kept growing with each passing day. I turned off the lights, pulled the covers up tight... Then I heard little paws in the hall that night. [PRE-CHORUS – PIZZICATO STRINGS, ORGAN BUILD] Click goes the camera! Tick goes the clock! Scratch at the window... Three little knocks! Don't turn around! Don't make a sound! [WHISPERED VOICE] He's figured out how to get inside now. [CHORUS – HUGE GHOSTLY CHOIR, CROOKED CIRCUS WALTZ] SMILE! SMILE! SHOW ME YOUR TEETH! THE CUTEST LITTLE NIGHTMARE YOU'LL EVER MEET! GRIN! GRIN! DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES! HE'S IN YOUR PICTURE — NOW HE'S IN YOUR MIND! SNAP! SNAP! FLASH OF WHITE! THAT DOG'S BEEN WATCHING YOU ALL NIGHT! SWEET DREAMS, MY FRIEND, DON'T BE AFRAID... [ALL VOICES, WHISPERING] HE JUST WANTS YOU TO LOOK... [LOUD ORGAN STAB] ...AT THE PICTURE YOU MADE! [POST-CHORUS – CHILDREN'S CHOIR, EERIE AND PLAYFUL] Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy? [LOW DISTORTED DOG GROWL] YOU ARE. YOU ARE. YOU ARE. [VERSE 2 – BOUNCY BASSOON, DETUNED TOY PIANO] I burned the photo, I buried the frame, I changed my number, I moved away. But every screen had the same damn face, That awful grin in every place. My phone lit up at a quarter to three, One new message: "Come play with me." No number, no sender, no words below... Just a little white dog And a smile I know. [PRE-CHORUS – ORGAN STUTTERS, CLOCK TICKING FASTER] Click goes the camera! Tick goes the clock! Scratch at the window... Three little knocks! I locked the door! I checked the chain! [WHISPERED VOICE] Why is he living inside my brain? [CHORUS – BIGGER, CHAOTIC GOTHIC CARNIVAL] SMILE! SMILE! SHOW ME YOUR TEETH! THE CUTEST LITTLE NIGHTMARE YOU'LL EVER MEET! GRIN! GRIN! DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES! HE'S IN YOUR PICTURE — NOW HE'S IN YOUR MIND! SNAP! SNAP! FLASH OF WHITE! THAT DOG'S BEEN WATCHING YOU ALL NIGHT! SWEET DREAMS, MY FRIEND, DON'T BE AFRAID... [CHILDREN'S CHOIR] HE JUST WANTS YOU TO LOOK! [ALL VOICES] LOOK! LOOK! LOOK! [INSTRUMENTAL BREAK – SOLO CELLO, DERANGED PIPE ORGAN, DISTORTED CAMERA SHUTTERS, THEATRICAL CIRCUS WALTZ] [CELLO SOLO – SLOW AND HAUNTING, GRADUALLY BUILDING INTO CHAOS] [BRIDGE – SOFT, HAUNTING MALE VOICE] Maybe he's lonely. Maybe he's sad. Maybe this photograph's all that he has. Maybe a monster can still be a friend... [PAUSE – SOLO CELLO] So why does he smile When the nightmares begin? [ORGAN STOPS] [ONE CAMERA SHUTTER] [WHISPERED VOICE] He likes you. [PAUSE] He REALLY likes you. [FINAL CHORUS – GRAND, MANIC, GHOSTLY CHOIR] SMILE! SMILE! SHOW ME YOUR TEETH! THE CUTEST LITTLE NIGHTMARE YOU'LL EVER MEET! GRIN! GRIN! DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES! HE'S IN YOUR PICTURE — NOW HE'S IN YOUR MIND! SNAP! SNAP! FLASH OF WHITE! HE'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU... [ALL MUSIC CUTS OUT] [WHISPERED MALE VOICE] ...Look left. [LOUD CAMERA FLASH] [OUTRO – SOLO CELLO, LOW AND SLOW] [SOFT, FRIENDLY VOICE] Who's a good boy? [ONE DISTORTED DOG BARK] [CELLO PLAYS ONE LONG, DISSONANT NOTE] [WHISPERED VOICE] Smile for the camera. [CAMERA SHUTTER] [END]